Japan Airlines to invest $10m in U.S. supersonic airline Boom

Japan Airlines (JAL) and Boom Supersonic are pleased to announce a strategic partnership to bring commercial supersonic travel to passengers.

While new and advanced technologies are changing our lives significantly, flight times for air travel have stayed relatively constant. Boom is developing a new-generation supersonic aircraft, which flies at Mach 2.2 and will cut flight times in half. Through this agreement, JAL will provide its knowledge and experience as an airline to support Boom in developing the aircraft.

As part of the agreement, JAL has made a strategic investment of USD 10 million in Boom and is collaborating with the company to refine the aircraft design and help define the passenger experience for supersonic travel. JAL also has the option to purchase up to 20 Boom aircraft through a pre-order arrangement. The two companies will cooperate closely to realize faster and more convenient air travel.

“We’ve been working with Japan Airlines behind the scenes for over a year now,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “JAL’s passionate, visionary team offers decades of practical knowledge and wisdom on everything from the passenger experience to technical operations. We’re thrilled to be working with JAL to develop a reliable, easily-maintained aircraft that will provide revolutionary speed to passengers. Our goal is to develop an airliner that will be a great addition to any international airline’s fleet.”

“We are very proud to be working with Boom on the advancement in the commercial aviation industry. Through this partnership, we hope to contribute to the future of supersonic travel with the intent of providing more time to our valued passengers while emphasizing flight safety,” said Yoshiharu Ueki, President of Japan Airlines.

The JAL Group will continue to embrace new technology to deliver greater customer convenience and comfort, enhance its networks, and improve the quality of its products and services.